Keeping a cool head when confronted with a toddler that had stopped breathing allowed Theresa Mays to save the child's life
On January 28, 2000, Theresa Mays, an employee of ECKAN Head Start performed the Heimlich maneuver and saved the life of an 18-month-old child.
At approximately 7 p.m. that evening, Theresa Mays heard screaming and yelling outside of her house. She opened her front door and her neighbor, Danielle Epting threw her 18-month-old son Bradon into Theresa's arms. He was limp, blue, and not breathing. His neck muscles were engorged and he was making pursed lip fish type respiratory effort but not exchanging any air. As Theresa recounts the experience, she says, "When I realized what was happening, I didn't know if I really knew the right thing to do....but I knew at that point it was up to me. I quickly thought back to what I had learned from Linda Corcoran and I stayed calm - mentally blocked out 'mom' who was screaming."
Theresa flipped him upside down and gave 5 back blows to him. She then looked in his mouth and saw a piece of candy lodged in his throat. She performed a finger sweep and moved the candy a fraction but could not dislodge it. At that point, Bradon gagged, coughed, and spit the candy out. He began to breathe on his own. The ambulance and police then arrived. They checked Bradon out and decided not to transport him.
As of February 1, 2000, he was happy and playing without any ill effects from the above incident.
